5:59PM: Jonathon Gatehouse, who wrote “The Instigator” about Gary Bettman notes that it was the meeting between Trever Linden and Calgary owner Harley Hotchkiss which led to the deal in 2005.

5:56PM: Bill Daly emailed Pierre LeBrun and said “We want to find a way to get to a deal nothing else has worked. The Commissioner felt that we might as well propose something different. We will see how they respond.”

5:46PM: John Shannon tweets: From a League source “Nothing else has worked – big groups, small meetings, mediation. So let’s try something else.”

@juunit I mean, he was literally surrounded by Titans. He'd be an idiot to fight back against Casey 1v1, but without backup? I don't blame him for it. It was kind of funny how casually he walked out of there, too. He didn't run, he just turned and slowly walked out (with his helmet on sideways).

He picked a verbal fight with someone and didn't punch back? HE'S A FAIRY. (Nevermind the fact that he successfully goaded a Titans player into committing a personal foul penalty against the Jets that picked up 15 valuable yards and probably should have resulted in their best player being ejected...)

If he'd have punched back, it'd be "What is Geno doing fighting and risking injury or ejection WHAT A STUPIDFACE!!!

If he hadn't responded to Woodyard and Casey's trashtalk at all, it'd be "HE'S TOO SCARED TO STAND UP FOR HIMSELF!!!"